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Parents ask county school board for new Holt High

Committee cites mold, electrical problems in school built in 1941

Holt High School students and their parents took photos of the school during the fall 2012 semester, including this photo of water damage.

Submitted photo

By Jamon SmithStaff Writer

Published: Tuesday, December 11, 2012 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, December 10, 2012 at 11:18 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA | A group of parents of Holt High School students asked the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education on Monday to build a new school.

Holt High was built in 1941 and is the oldest school in the Tuscaloosa County School System. Its age shows, said Jason Bearden, chairman of a Holt High PTO committee working for a new school.

“The biggest concern for us is the condition of the school,” Bearden said. “There's mold, Sheetrock problems, electrical problems ... teachers are having to stretch extension cords across the classroom to find working outlets.”

Neal Guy, a Holt High graduate and the school's principal for the past five years, said he believes Holt needs a new school.

“It's time,” Guy said. “It's just used up its useful life.”

Bearden presented a slideshow of photos to the board showing the school's condition.

He cited a 1991 study of the District of Columbia School System that said standardized test scores in schools whose buildings are in poor shape were 6 percent lower than in schools in fair condition, and 11 percent lower than schools in excellent condition. He also cited a 2002 National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities article that said poor quality in school buildings causes sickness in students and teachers and increases absences.

“Holt High School has the lowest attendance rate of any high school in the county school system this year,” Bearden said. “It's more than three percent lower than the attendance rate at Hillcrest High.”

The attendance rate at Holt High was 91.7 percent as of Dec. 7. It was 95.5 percent at Hillcrest, 93.4 percent at Brookwood High, 95.2 percent at Northside High, 94.7 percent at Sipsey Valley High and 94.9 percent at Tuscaloosa County High, according to the school system's daily attendance summary.

Bearden said it's clear that Holt High has been low on the school board's priority list for decades, especially considering that no current or future plans to build a new Holt have been unveiled.

In a report compiled by the PTO on how much money the board has spent on building repairs, renovations, land acquisition and new school buildings at the system's six high schools in the past 20 years, Holt ranked second to last.

According to the PTO report, $33.3 million was spent on Tuscaloosa County High, $16.3 million on Sipsey Valley High, $12.6 million on Northside High, $3 million on Brookwood High — although including the new school that is under construction brings the total to $38 million — $2.6 million on Holt High and $2.1 million on Hillcrest High.

Bearden said the only reason less money has been spent on Hillcrest than on Holt in the past two decades is that a new Hillcrest was built in 1982.

Other Holt High parents attending the school board meeting said they feel like the board has disregarded the school, its students and the Holt community.

“It's not just an issue of getting a new school. It affects the community,” said Christopher Barnett, father of a Holt High sophomore. “If you talk to Realtors here, they're not selling new homes in Holt and Cottondale because of the school. No one is trying to build any subdivisions there.”

The school also has a graduation rate of 54 percent, the lowest among high schools in the Tuscaloosa county and city school systems.

“I feel like the board is neglecting our children,” said Valencia Hardy, a Holt High graduate and mother of a junior at the school. “Holt's at the bottom of the barrel.”

The board didn't respond to the parents' request. After the meeting, however, board member Joe Boteler, who has advocated building a new Holt High, said the reason Holt has been neglected for decades is that no one has fought for it.

“Holt just doesn't have any representation,” he said.

Bearden said the only answer the PTO wants to hear from the board is that it is going to build a new school. He said all offers to renovate or repair Holt will be rejected.

“I believe Holt deserves a new school,” Bearden said. “I think the best thing for the school, for the county and the system is to do whatever it takes to get a new school.”

A petition asking for a new Holt High will be circulated throughout the communities that feed into Holt High starting today, Bearden said. He said if the board doesn't decide to build a new Holt High in 60 days, the PTO will return with signed petitions and continue to press the issue.

The group has a “Build a New Holt High School” Facebook group that had 506 “likes” as of Monday night.

<p>TUSCALOOSA | A group of parents of Holt High School students asked the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education on Monday to build a new school.</p><p>Holt High was built in 1941 and is the oldest school in the Tuscaloosa County School System. Its age shows, said Jason Bearden, chairman of a Holt High PTO committee working for a new school.</p><p>“The biggest concern for us is the condition of the school,” Bearden said. “There's mold, Sheetrock problems, electrical problems ... teachers are having to stretch extension cords across the classroom to find working outlets.”</p><p>Neal Guy, a Holt High graduate and the school's principal for the past five years, said he believes Holt needs a new school.</p><p>“It's time,” Guy said. “It's just used up its useful life.”</p><p>Bearden presented a slideshow of photos to the board showing the school's condition.</p><p>He cited a 1991 study of the District of Columbia School System that said standardized test scores in schools whose buildings are in poor shape were 6 percent lower than in schools in fair condition, and 11 percent lower than schools in excellent condition. He also cited a 2002 National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities article that said poor quality in school buildings causes sickness in students and teachers and increases absences.</p><p>“Holt High School has the lowest attendance rate of any high school in the county school system this year,” Bearden said. “It's more than three percent lower than the attendance rate at Hillcrest High.”</p><p>The attendance rate at Holt High was 91.7 percent as of Dec. 7. It was 95.5 percent at Hillcrest, 93.4 percent at Brookwood High, 95.2 percent at Northside High, 94.7 percent at Sipsey Valley High and 94.9 percent at Tuscaloosa County High, according to the school system's daily attendance summary.</p><p>Bearden said it's clear that Holt High has been low on the school board's priority list for decades, especially considering that no current or future plans to build a new Holt have been unveiled.</p><p>In a report compiled by the PTO on how much money the board has spent on building repairs, renovations, land acquisition and new school buildings at the system's six high schools in the past 20 years, Holt ranked second to last.</p><p>According to the PTO report, $33.3 million was spent on Tuscaloosa County High, $16.3 million on Sipsey Valley High, $12.6 million on Northside High, $3 million on Brookwood High — although including the new school that is under construction brings the total to $38 million — $2.6 million on Holt High and $2.1 million on Hillcrest High.</p><p>Bearden said the only reason less money has been spent on Hillcrest than on Holt in the past two decades is that a new Hillcrest was built in 1982.</p><p>Other Holt High parents attending the school board meeting said they feel like the board has disregarded the school, its students and the Holt community.</p><p>“It's not just an issue of getting a new school. It affects the community,” said Christopher Barnett, father of a Holt High sophomore. “If you talk to Realtors here, they're not selling new homes in Holt and Cottondale because of the school. No one is trying to build any subdivisions there.”</p><p>The school also has a graduation rate of 54 percent, the lowest among high schools in the Tuscaloosa county and city school systems.</p><p>“I feel like the board is neglecting our children,” said Valencia Hardy, a Holt High graduate and mother of a junior at the school. “Holt's at the bottom of the barrel.”</p><p>The board didn't respond to the parents' request. After the meeting, however, board member Joe Boteler, who has advocated building a new Holt High, said the reason Holt has been neglected for decades is that no one has fought for it.</p><p>“Holt just doesn't have any representation,” he said.</p><p>Bearden said the only answer the PTO wants to hear from the board is that it is going to build a new school. He said all offers to renovate or repair Holt will be rejected.</p><p>“I believe Holt deserves a new school,” Bearden said. “I think the best thing for the school, for the county and the system is to do whatever it takes to get a new school.”</p><p>A petition asking for a new Holt High will be circulated throughout the communities that feed into Holt High starting today, Bearden said. He said if the board doesn't decide to build a new Holt High in 60 days, the PTO will return with signed petitions and continue to press the issue.</p><p>The group has a “Build a New Holt High School” Facebook group that had 506 “likes” as of Monday night.</p><p>Reach Jamon Smith at jamon.smith@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0204.</p>